There is provided an imaging apparatus including a first polarizing unit that polarizes light from an object, a lens system that condenses light from the first polarizing unit, and an imaging element array that has imaging elements arranged in a matrix of a first direction and a second direction orthogonal to the first direction, has a second polarizing unit arranged on a light incident side, and converts the light condensed by the lens system into an electric signal.

A reconfigurable imaging apparatus, a computer-implemented method, and an imaging system are described. Generally, the apparatus includes platforms. Each platform houses one or more optical sensors. A pivotal connector is connected with at least two platforms and supports a relative movement of such platforms with respect to one another. Hence, the platforms can be arranged and switched between different arrangements based on the pivotal connector, thereby allowing a reconfiguration of the apparatus. In an example, arrangement, the optical sensors are pointed in different directions to cover different fields of views, thereby supporting monoscopic imagery. In another example arrangement, the optical sensors are pointed in substantially a same direction to cover substantially a same field of view, thereby supporting stereoscopic imagery.

A camera device includes a camera head that captures an observation image of a target site which is obtained by a surgical microscope, and a camera control unit that processes a signal of the observation video captured by the camera head. The camera head captures right and left observation images having a parallax from the surgical microscope to obtain a high-resolution observation video including right and left parallax videos for one screen, and the camera control unit cuts out the right parallax video and the left parallax video from the observation video including the right and left parallax videos to generate a high-resolution 3D video which is displayed on a monitor in 3D and with which stereoscopic observation can be performed.

A multiple lenses system includes a lens module, a processing unit, a switching unit, and a focus module. The lens module includes a plurality of lenses. The switching unit is electrically connected to the plurality of lenses and the processing unit. The focus module includes a laser emitter and a laser receiver. The laser emitter emits laser beam towards an object under control of the processing unit. The laser receiver receives the laser beam reflected by the object. The processing unit obtains a focus distance between the object and the focus module according to a time difference from emitting the laser beam to receiving the laser beam, and controls the switching unit to switch and to select at least one of the plurality of lenses according to the focus distance.

An image pickup system includes: an image pickup section including a first image pickup device outputting a first image pickup signal, and a second image pickup device outputting a second image pickup signal; a processor that performs signal processing on image pickup signals; and a memory section holding a difference correction parameter, the difference correction parameter indicating difference of image characteristics derived from sensitivity of each image pickup device, in image pickup signals outputted from the first image pickup device and the second image pickup device; and a correction processing section performing correction processing on at least one of the first image pickup signal and the second image pickup signal, based on the difference correction parameter.

A depth image measuring camera includes an illumination device configured to irradiate an object with light, and a light-modulating optical system configured to receive the light reflected from the object. The depth image measuring camera includes an image sensor configured to generate an image of the object by receiving light incident on the image sensor that passes through the light-modulating optical system. The light-modulating optical system includes a plurality of lenses having a same optical axis, and an optical modulator configured to operate in two modes for measuring a depth of the object.

Apparatus for optical sensing includes first matrix of optical sensing elements, arranged on a semiconductor substrate in rows and columns. A second matrix of storage nodes is arranged on the substrate such that respective first and second storage nodes in the second matrix are disposed in proximity to each of the sensing elements within the first matrix. Switching circuitry couples each of the sensing elements to transfer photocharge to the respective first and second storage nodes. Control circuitry controls the switching circuitry in a depth sensing mode such that over a series of detection cycles, each of the sensing elements and a first neighboring sensing element are connected together to the respective first storage node during the first detection interval, and each of the sensing elements and the second neighboring sensing element are connected together to the respective second storage node during the second detection interval.

Apparatus for optical sensing includes first matrix of optical sensing elements, arranged on a semiconductor substrate in rows and columns. A second matrix of storage nodes is arranged on the substrate such that respective first and second storage nodes in the second matrix are disposed in proximity to each of the sensing elements within the first matrix. Switching circuitry couples each of the sensing elements to transfer photocharge to the respective first and second storage nodes. Control circuitry controls the switching circuitry in a depth sensing mode such that over a series of detection cycles, each of the sensing elements and a first neighboring sensing element are connected together to the respective first storage node during the first detection interval, and each of the sensing elements and the second neighboring sensing element are connected together to the respective second storage node during the second detection interval.

For example, rendering is switchable. There is provided an information processing apparatus including: a first image processing unit that projects a predetermined object onto a two-dimensional plane in a virtual space; and a second image processing unit that renders a three-dimensional model related to a predetermined object at a location that is not the two-dimensional plane in the virtual space, in which at least a first rendering state by the first image processing unit and a second rendering state by the second image processing unit are switchable.

For example, rendering is switchable. There is provided an information processing apparatus including: a first image processing unit that projects a predetermined object onto a two-dimensional plane in a virtual space; and a second image processing unit that renders a three-dimensional model related to a predetermined object at a location that is not the two-dimensional plane in the virtual space, in which at least a first rendering state by the first image processing unit and a second rendering state by the second image processing unit are switchable.